1. February 2018. This rectangular cobblestone square in Macau’s Coloane Island sits just a short walk from the village main street off Avenida Cinco de Outbro. Positioned gorgeously opposite the seaside promenade, the square is home to a number of cafes and restaurants where you can have lunch opposite the handsome backdrop of St. Francis Xavier Chapel.

2. February 2018. Some of my best travel moments over the years have come down to a simple matter of perfect timing. When Wonderboy and I waltzed into the square (it hadn’t even been on our itinerary), we’d arrived just in time for the village’s annual Chinese New Year dragon dance.

3. February 2018. Played out to a thunderous soundtrack of clashing cymbals and thumping drums, the performance that afternoon was truly one to remember. The dancers, armed with nothing more than wooden poles and years of experience, twisted and turned under their dragon costumes to deliver the hypnotic, sinuous movements of the river spirit.

4. February 2018. While on the face of it these fearsome dragons seem to be the kind of creatures you wouldn’t want to bump into in a dark alley; for the Chinese they symbolize dignity, fertility, wisdom and auspiciousness. All of which sits hand in hand with the perception of imperial authority.

5. February 2018. With the dragon stuff over and the crowd beginning to disperse, all that was left to do was peek inside the modest chapel. Although poky and unassuming at first glance, it does boast a few of Asia’s most sacred Christian relics. Mass is still held every Sunday at 10:00.

For more on my time in this amazing corner of China, check out my other articles onMacau.

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